It’s not often you go to the salon for a beauty treatment and leave with a health diagnosis from a stranger; however, Emma Chamberlain found herself in that exact scenario.
In a new video as part of Vogue’s Beauty Secrets series, 23-year-old Emma talked about the changes she’s seen in her health since she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at her hair salon, of all places.
“I got diagnosed with PCOS at the hair salon. I was sitting in the chair getting my hair washed, and a woman was next to me and she turned to me and she said, ‘Do you have PCOS?’” Emma recalled, telling the story while applying her skincare.
As you may know, PCOS is a hormonal disorder that impacts how the ovaries work. It’s way more common than you might think, and symptoms can include ovarian cysts, irregular menstrual periods, and excess hair growth on the face and body. However, the condition can impact people very differently.
Caught off guard by the random question, Emma told the stranger that she didn’t know if she had PCOS, but that there was a history of hormonal conditions in her family. “I was like, ‘I don’t know. My mom has PCOS. She has PCOS and endometriosis, and she’s had a lot of challenges,’” Emma said, to which the woman replied: “I think you have PCOS.”
So, as it turns out, the stranger in the salon was a qualified OBGYN and could “tell by the acne” on Emma’s cheeks that she was experiencing some kind of hormonal imbalance. “She diagnosed me with PCOS. It’s really changed my life, to be honest,” she explained.
According to Healthline, up to 70 percent of women with PCOS haven’t been formally diagnosed, meaning they probably aren’t getting the treatment they might need. Discussing her experience, Emma explained how her life has improved now that she’s got a handle on her hormones. “My periods are so much more chill, my skin is so much more predictable,” she said. “My hair is getting thicker. It’s just feeling like I’m coming back to myself in a way.”
Emma first talked about her PCOS diagnosis during a March 2024 episode of her Anything Goes podcast, in which she shared insight into her symptoms. “I found out it’s the reason that for many years I’ve had irregular periods, cystic acne, anxiety, depression, and a slew of other issues,” she told listeners at the time. “It’s common. I know a lot of girls with PCOS, and I think I have a milder version of it. I don’t have the cysts, I don’t have all of the symptoms of PCOS, but alas, I have it.”
Well, it sounds like things have definitely improved for Emma in the past year, and it’s all thanks to a stranger in a hair salon. You can watch her full Vogue Beauty Secrets video here.
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